INSET PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: HEAVY RODS AND REELS READY FOR BATTLE, CHUNKS OF CUT BAIT, LIVE BAIT HOOKED THROUGH THE NOSE, TOOTH-
PROOF SINGLE STRAND WIRE. PHOTOS: JOSE CHAVEZ
ASSESSMENT W
RISK
ith a big shark on the end of the line, it is unclear who is in more danger.
The biggest shark I ever hooked, an 11- foot hammerhead, dragged me up and down Tampa Beach for two hours before sawing through the cable leader 20 yards from the kayak. Had it wanted to, that fish could have eaten me at any moment. Sharks are more afraid of us than we are of them. No kayak angler has been eaten, or even seriously injured, by sharks, al- though there have been several alarming, boxer-spoiling close calls. The truth is, sharks have more to worry
about from humans. Overfishing and habitat loss have done serious damage to shark populations. Kayak anglers, on the other hand, aren’t much of a threat. Armed with heavy tackle and a small plas- tic boat, I can beat the shark quickly and score a healthy release. As soon as I hook a shark, I first assess
whether it is too big to handle— a lesson I learned when that hammerhead started dragging me offshore. Blacktips and makos will often jump four or five times, making them especially unpredictable. Other sharks, like bulls, sand bars and nurse sharks are more cooperative. In a kayak, there’s barely enough room
for the angler, let alone a man-sized predator. Landing, gutting, bleeding and storing a shark is too much trouble. In the interest of both parties, I release all the sharks that I catch.
HAPPY HUNTING
F
or kayak anglers fishing anywhere along the Atlantic or Gulf Coast, sharks
offer an easy way to target big fish close to shore. I fish for bull sharks, sandbars, blacktips and even hammerheads in and around Tampa Bay, but the techniques we use work anywhere from New England to Texas. Whenever targeting sharks, heavy
tackle is essential. A long, drawn out battle on light tackle will fatigue the shark and could drag the angler miles away. This is the realm of stout rods and pow-
erful reels. Penn’s 113H2 Special Sena- tor will hold over 400 yards of 50-pound monofilament. On the spinning side, Shi- mano’s Saragossa F 8000 or Quantum’s Cabo 80 each have a drag system that is up for the fight. Add a 10-foot topshot of 80-pound
mono to the braid with an Albright special. To defend against the shark’s teeth, twist a four-foot length of 75-pound single strand wire between a 100-pound test swivel and a 10/0 to 14/0 circle hook. Match the reel to a heavy-action seven- foot rod. Sharks aren’t usually picky feeders, but
they can be finicky. Mullet and mackerel can be purchased at the bait shop, but the best bait is caught on scene. Bluefish, mackerel, jacks, ladyfish and bottom fish will hit a Got- cha plug worked along the beach. Cut the bait into chunks and hook it
through the nose or tail so it doesn’t spin in the current. Fish one bait with a small sinker or weightless and dangle another a few feet under a balloon. Set the float bait back 130 yards from the kayak and keep the free bait closer at 70 yards.
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